Pope Francis looked out from the balcony of the central lodge of the facade of the Basilica of San Pedro to impart the apostolic blessing City and the World Before the multitude of pilgrims that crowded the Plaza Vaticana and its surroundings on this Sunday of Resurrection.
“Dear brothers and sisters, good Easter!” Exclaimed the Holy Father accompanied by his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti.
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The 88 -year -old pontiff, who appeared in a wheelchair and without canal canals wished a happy Easter to all present and announced, with a remarkably fatigued voice, that he would be the master of pontifical ceremonies, Mons. Diego Ravelli, who read in his name the Pascual message addressed to the entire Catholic Church and the entire world.
“That the principle of humanity never fails as a cardinal axis. Given the cruelty of conflicts, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that objectives are not attacked, but to people with soul and dignity,” said the pontiff, who will continue convalescence by bilateral pneumonia at least until the end of May, according to the prescription of their doctors.
When it appeared, the jubilation broke out among the 35,000 people present in the Plaza de San Pedro.
“How much will to death we see every day in the numerous conflicts that affect different parts of the world. How much violence we often perceive in families, against women or children. How much contempt sometimes you have towards the weakest, marginalized and migrants,” he lamented in the message.
He added: “On this day, we would like us to wait again to trust others – even who is not close to us or comes from distant lands, with customs, lifestyles, ideas and habits different from those of us who are more familiar to us; because we are all children of God. We would like us to wait again in that peace is possible.”
Do not give in to the logic of fear that isolates
The Holy Father specifically urged political leaders “not to give in to the logic of fear that isolates, but to use the resources available to help those in need, combat hunger and promote initiatives that promote development.”
“These are the ‘weapons’ of peace: those that build the future, instead of sowing death. That the principle of humanity is never weakened as the axis of our daily actions. Given the cruelty of conflicts that affect unarmed civilians, attacking schools, hospitals and humanitarian operators, we cannot allow us to forget that what is in the sight is not a mere goal, but people with a soul and a dignity.
Thus, he released urgently to peace and fraternity and toured the main focus of armed conflict, remembering “all victims, whose tears have been collected” by Christ.
“That I radiate the light of peace over all Holy Land”
The Pontiff recalled the joint commemoration this year of Catholic and Orthodox Easter in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and asked that “the light of peace over all Holy Land and over the whole world is radiated.” When referring to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, the Pope said: “I feel close to the suffering of Christians in Palestine and Israel, as well as all the Israeli people and all the Palestinian people.”
He then also denounced the “growing climate of anti -Semitism” and appealed to an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
In this way, he asked the belligerent parties “to cease fire, to release hostages and provide help to people, who are hungry and aspire to a future of peace.”
The Holy Father requested prayers for the Christian communities of Lebanon and Syria “that crave the stability and participation in the fate of their respective nations.”
Yemen and martyred Ukraine
The Pontiff also directed in the Pascual message a special greeting to the people of Yemen, “who is living one of the worst ‘prolonged’ humanitarian crises of the world because of the war”, and invited the international community to seek solutions through “a constructive dialogue.”
As usually does in all his public appointments the Pontiff claimed the gift of peace to “the martyred Ukraine” and urged all the “actors involved to continue efforts aimed at achieving a fair and lasting peace.”
Definitive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The Holy Father also expressed his desire to “arrive soon to the signature and the performance of a definitive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which leads to the desired reconciliation in the region” and made a call so that, in Western Balkans, “dangerous and destabilizing behaviors are avoided.”
In his geographical review by the African continent, Pope Francis wished that “Risen Christ, our hope, grants peace and comfort to the African peoples victims of aggressions and conflicts, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Sudan” and sustained those who suffer in “El Sahel, in the horn of Africa and in the region of the great lakes.”
Myanmar, “tormented for years by armed conflicts”
Finally, by mentioning Asia, he asked not to forget Myanmar, who suffered a catastrophic earthquake of magnitude 7.7 on March 28 that killed more than 3,600 people, although the number of victims can continue to increase. “That at this time our help to the Burmese people have not lack, tormented for years by armed conflicts, which faces the consequences of the devastating earthquake in Sagaing with courage,” he said.
He finally requested that in this jubilee year, Easter is also aimed at releasing war prisoners and political prisoners. “Dear brothers and sisters: in the Lord’s Easter, death and life have faced each other in a prodigious duel, but the Lord lives forever and infuses us that we are also called to participate in life that does not know the sunset, where the roller of weapons or the echoes of death will no longer hear. Let us entrust us to him, because only he can do all things. concluded.
Then the Pontiff toured the Plaza de San Pedro for a few minutes to greet and bless the faithful present.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.